Boehner signs up for a 10-mile run — kind of

A record 230 members of Congress, including Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), have signed on to be honorary race chairs for the 2014 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run.

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But don’t look for Boehner, a fan of red wine and cigarettes, to be sporting jogging shorts next month.

Honorary race chairs are not obligated to participate in or volunteer for the race. Lawmakers sign on in support of the Children’s Miracle Network, an international nonprofit that raises money for medical research as well as children’s hospitals.

The race will be held on the morning of April 6, following a Health and Fitness Expo on April 4 and 5.

Almost 1,000 congressional staffers have signed up to participate in the Cherry Blossom Capitol Hill Competition, in which teams of five staffers compete against other offices’ teams for the Capitol Hill Cup. The prize is given to the team with the fastest combined time.

Other prizes are awarded to the fastest individual man, the fastest individual woman and the team with the most creative name. Last year, there were 34 House teams and 22 Senate teams.

Red, White and Blumenauer won last year with a combined time of 3:18:24. The team is named after Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).

The Cherry Blossom Capitol Hill Competition is a race within the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, which attracts over 15,000 athletes each year. They participate in either in the 10-mile run, the 5K run-walk or the 1/2-mile kids’ run.

The route passes several Washington landmarks, including the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedy Center and the Jefferson Memorial.

The Congressional Federal and United States Senate Federal Credit Union, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, National Association of Federal Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and The Hill are sponsoring the race.